The 1915 Blackburn TB was a long-range twin-engined anti-Zeppelin floatplane. Technically a fighter. This was Blackburn’s first twin-engined aircraft (TB standing for Twin Blackburn), but the rear fuselages and tails came from the BE.2c, then being licence-produced by Blackburn. Designed for a pair of 150hp Smith radial engines, the TB was built with 100hp Gnome Monosoupapes giving a third less power. Its war load was 32kg of steel incendiary darts. The TB’s were to climb above enemy airships where the observer would throw the darts at them in the hope of causing and igniting a fatal gas leak. The TB had no other armament.
Engine: 2 x 100hp Gnome Monosoupape rotary engines Take-Off Weight: 1588 kg / 3501 lb Wingspan: 18.44 m / 60 ft 6 in Length: 11.13 m / 36 ft 6 in Height: 4.11 m / 13 ft 6 in Max. Speed: 138 km/h / 86 mph Crew: 2
The HB.5 (MB-10) originally started development as an open-sea reconnaissance/bombing flying-boat, but it was completed as a 20-seat passenger transport flying-boat. The Besson H-5 was a quadruplane flying boat designed by the Marcel Besson company of Boulogne. On December 31, 1920 the Aviation Technical Service (Service technique de l’Aéronautique / STAé ) issued Besson No.120 contract for the construction of the prototype. A model of the aircraft, designated Marcel Besson H-5, was exhibited at the Grand Palais (Grand Palais) during the Paris Air Show was held there in 1921.
The main planes are of comparatively thick section, and have a high aspect ratio. The upper and third planes are located a little less than the chord width in advance of the second and bottom planes. Each pair of planes has an arrangement of X interplane struts, whilst struts also connect the rear spars of the forward planes to the front spars of the rear planes. The whole wing is divided into three bays each side. The lowermost plane is set at 1.5 degree dihedral. Ailerons are fitted to all four planes.
The hull of the H5 is a V-bottom single step type, 11 ft 6 in beam by 46 ft in length. It is built up of three-ply mahogany, with linen in between the layers, riveted to cross members. The whole hull is divided into 24 watertight compartments.
The fuselage is conventional and fabric covered. The pilot’s cockpit, with dual controls, is located high in the forward fuselage.
The engines fitted were four 250 hp Salmson 9Z radial, arranged two in tandem on each side of the fuselage and in line with the third (from top) plane. Each pair of engines is enclosed in a streamline nacelle, and the front engines, driving tractor screws, are placed well forward, whilst th rear ones driving pusher screws, are nearly in line with the trailing edges of the rear pair of planes. Four Lamblin radiators are mounted on the nacelle, one on each side under the third plane.
The design was constructed in Boulogne-sur-Seine began. 1922, then dismantled and shipped by rail to Saint Raphael on the Mediterranean. Reassembly took from April to July 1922, after which it was brought before the Commission for applied research in aviation (Commission d’études pratiques d’aviation / CEPA ) for performing tests. In those years, CEPA tests were required for both military and civilian aircraft. Lieutenant Maurice Hurel, an experienced pilot of the French Navy, was assigned to the testing. Problems with the starters led to a delay in testing for several months.
The first flight took place on September 8, 1922. Due to the failure of the first flight with the starters and the water landing was hard. The pilot managed with great difficulty to splash down the unstable flying boat; slightly damaged. During a brief examination of the balance, the aircraft weighing 7845 kg, the C of G was too far back. To restore the center 175 kg of ballast has been loaded into the nose of the aircraft in the form of sandbags.
After this procedure began a series of test flights. In the final CEPA report: “the first takeoff was very quick and the pilot immediately realized that the aircraft center of gravity has serious problems Despite the extra weight at the bow, counteracts the tendency of the pilot to keep the aircraft in the flight line at. that the angle of the height was set to its lowest position and the engines / full flow. However, due to the rapid rejection of controlled valves (approx. trimmers) pilot managed to avoid fatal pitching and landing on the water, which was performed by successive on-off engines power . In spite of the effect of trim tabs and lowering elevators aircraft nose up uncontrollably and a reduction in engine speed saved the situation. “
Splashdown on a calm sea, appeared to be acceptable to the pilot, but in spite of all the left side of the hull (where the plating thickness was 15 mm) was suddenly torn out of about a square meter of the bottom.
Marcel Besson undertook to strengthen the bottom of the hull and the long work led to an increase in weight of the empty aircraft by 440 kg. In addition, the aircraft has been improved alignment and biplane horizontal tail was replaced: instead of the original with the top horizontal fixed plane and the lower plane of the imposition of a classic forward plumage with the increased area was established. But after this decision, the empty weight of the aircraft continued to exceed its original state at 270 kg.
Before the second flight of the weight of H-5 was 8343 kg. In the second flight Maurice Hurel had to face a much more serious problem handling than during the first flight, as later reported commission for testing control, “March 26, 1923 the aircraft due to the housing width pulled from the water much faster: 17 seconds , reaching the angle of attack of 17º and will continue more and more to increase the pitch up, although the pilot rejected the lower stabilizers down. engine speed reduction has not led to a reduction continued to increase the angle of attack, and the pilot developed maximum engine power and rejecting the down elevators, successfully forced the aircraft . unit to dive down, however, in spite of this action, the car was irresistibly drawn to pitch up: drive, the plane again soared into the sky and began to lose speed at an altitude of 30 meters above the water plane leaned to the left, planned and hit the nose of water gathered speed.. The pilot before the plane hit the water again, was able to take control and correct the aircraft to land. “
During the third flight on April 17, 1923, the total weight of the seaplane was 8830 kg, and the extreme nose was taken by 850 kg of ballast. It was 3570 kg, more than the permissible weight specified in the contract specifications. It took three attempts to to make a flight duration of 27 seconds. After passing over the harbor at the height of 30 meters Hurel found hold the steering wheel and maintaining the aircraft in the flight line exhausting. All experts at CEPA, including Marcel Besson believed that the ballast weight at the front part has reached its maximum value (850 kg) and may not be exceeded.
On May 9, 1923 with the same weight as in the previous test flight, the H-5 flew for 48 seconds and remained in flight without any incidents to a maximum height of 900 meters . Marcel Besson had every reason to be satisfied. There was no question of mass production of the aircraft, the H-5 met only one of the requirements of acceptance tests set out in the contract: “Flight of the no-load of one hour with a fuel capacity of two and a half hours flight flight must be performed at a height of not less than 500 meters during a flight must perform several turns airplane must.. to perform three or four take-off. “
Other awards were undelivered but Captain 3rd Rank Godfroy (Capitaine de Corvette Godfroy) in CEPA report on the test results presented astonishing manipulation which allowed to play administrative provisions solely in the interests of the manufacturer: “For operational tests giving the right to bonus payments in the contract, for example, assumed: The load 3,000 kg, including 1,500 kg of fuel that the aircraft could not be taken away during the test, under STAé instructions, the Deputy Minister intervened, and made further amendments to the contract, which allowed the aircraft to perform operational tests: • introduced a private aircraft weight 7160 kg; • reduced total load of up to 1840 kg; • the base price of the aircraft increased to 120,000 francs; • introduced premium features for compliance; • It does not provide any penalties. To meet these requirements, the aircraft was to have a takeoff weight of 9000 kg, which is 170 kg more than the last flight.
During tests at St. Raphael naval air station in 1922 the Besson Quadruplane, which weighs, fully loaded, just over 10 tons, took off after a run of about 500 yds, and gave a top speed of 81 mph with full load.
July 16, 1923 flights were resumed. The first attempt to take off, despite the planing length of 2 km, ended in failure. During a second attempt, 45 seconds after the start of planning, part of the body was ripped out a piece of skin, along with parts of the frames. The total area of the pulled out piece was about one square meter. Hurel managed to reach the beach in Saint-Raphael and put flying boat aground, not letting her sink.
The CEPA felt that it would not be worth recovery of the aircraft. After the tests the aircraft was stored at the base in the open. At the end of December 1923 during a heavy storm with sharp gusts of wind, the tail unit was separated from the rest of the hull.
Conclusion CEPA commission was strict and did not contain any sympathy for the feelings of the aircraft designer, “four-Besson commercial seaplane design with the power plant with total capacity of 1000 hp was unfortunately built without serious preliminary studies was created in a haphazard pencil in a number of nodes. strokes without any of the details of care. in particular, it is difficult to accept as the norm is that the designer can to such an extent to make a mistake in the weight calculation, what did it, Mr. Besson (7150 kg instead of 4500 kg), created at the same time very . the fragile structure of the aircraft was presented to the test with problems centering, and only thanks to the exceptional airmanship and presence of mind of the pilot several times managed to avoid the destruction of the airframe shape makes the aircraft unfit for any service on the sea. on the other hand it is highly unlikely so he could take off with the body of another form. Commercial efficiency this aircraft seems insignificant. The aircraft can not be accepted due to imposed on him only moderate requirements. Interest is only the relative position of bearing surfaces. If the designer wished to more fully explore this location, it is more preferable to do so not on this seaplane and a small aircraft, designed to carry out technical experiments. “
Engines: 4 × Salmson 9Z water-cooled radial, 190 kW (260 hp) Length: 22.0 m (72 ft 2 in) Wingspan: 29.00 m (95 ft 2 in) Wing area: 225 m2 (2,420 sq ft) Chord: 6 ft 10 in Gap (approx): 5 ft 6 in Height: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) Empty weight: 5,500 kg (12,125 lb) Max takeoff weight: 10,000 kg (22,046 lb) Max fuel capacity: 400 Imp.Gal Oil capacity: 26 Imp.Gal Maximum speed: 168 km/h (104 mph; 91 kn) Cruising speed: 126 kph / 81 mph Range: 900 km (559 mi; 486 nmi) Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,483 ft) Endurance: 6 hr Crew: 5 Capacity: 20 passengers Aera of mainplanes: 2744 sq.ft Area of stabiliser: 161.5 ft Area of variable incidence: 53.8 sq.ft Area of elevator: 86 sq.ft Area of fins: 57 sq.ft Area of rudder: 34.4 sq.ft Area of aux rudders: 27 sq.ft Power loading: 22 lb/hp Wing loading: 8.2 lb/sq.ft
The Adolphe Bernard AB 1 two engine biplane medium bomber, built near the end of the First World War, was the first original design from the Adolphe Bernard factory, which had previously produced SPAD aircraft to government contracts. It was a twin engine biplane bomber, carrying 600 kg (1,323 lb) of bombs.
Designed by Louis Béchereau, the AB 1 was a wooden three bay biplane, without stagger but with greater span on the upper planes. Only the lower wings carried dihedral. The outer and mid interplane struts were outward leaning pairs but the inner bay was defined by a complex of struts supporting the engines midway between the wings. Head on, these appeared as a V based on the lower wing but had M and W arrangements seen side-on above and below the engine. The AB 1 used Hispano-Suiza V-8 piston engines, of which type there was a surplus after the Armistice. It had ailerons on both upper and lower wings, externally connected.
The fuselage of the AB 1 was flat-sided, with a narrowed but flat topped decking. There was a gunner’s position in the extreme nose fitted with a 7.7 mm machine gun on a TO 4 mounting. The fuselage tapered rearwards with the cantilever tailplane, which carried separate elevators, mounted on top. The fin carried a horn balanced rudder which extended down to the bottom of the fuselage, moving between the elevators.
Its main undercarriage had a wide track, with twin wheels on short axles mounted below each engine on inverted V struts, themselves further braced to the lower fuselage longerons.
The first AB 1 was built in 1918 and flew in the late spring of that year and testing continued into early 1919. There were plans for a variant using more powerful Hispano-Suiza 8Ba engines, the AB 2, but this was not built. Post war, two civilian variants were started, the post-carrying AB 3 and the passenger only or passenger plus post AB 4. The AB 3, one of which was completed in 1920, could carry a useful load of 905 kg (1950 lb). The AB 4, which had the same engines as the proposed AB 2, carried a maximum of seven passengers. Its fuselage was on display at the 6th Paris Aero Show in December 1919, but it was not completed.
Ten AB 1s were produced after the Armistice but do not seem to have achieved squadron service.
Variants:
AB 1 The bomber version of 1918, as supplied to the Armée de l’Air. Eleven built.
AB 2 Proposed version with 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Ba engines. Not built.
AB 3 Post carrying civil version of AB 1, two Hispano 180 hp engines. One built 1920.
AB.3 M Large twin boom monoplane bomber with three Hispano 12 G engines, two tractor and one pusher. One example started but unfinished.
AB.3 T Civilian transport derivative of the AB.3 M, with three tractor engines. Project only.
AB 4 Airliner/post carrier version of AB 3, two Hispano 200 hp. Maximum seven passengers, depending on postal load. One part built 1919.
Specifications:
AB.1 Engine: 2 × Hispano-Suiza 8 Ab, 130 kW (180 hp) Propellers: 2-bladed (later 4) Upper wingspan: 18.95 m (62 ft 2 in) Length: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in) Height: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in) Wing area: 80.0 sq.m (861 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,570 kg (3,461 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,859 kg (6,303 lb) Maximum speed: 167 km/h (104 mph; 90 kn) Cruising speed: 135 kph Service ceiling: 4,900 m (16,076 ft) Rate of climb: 2.1 m/s (410 ft/min) to 2,000 m (6,560 ft) Armament: 7.7-mm machine gun Bombload: 600 kg / 1,323 lb Crew: 2
Beriev’s Be-200 multipurpose amhibious aircraft was designed as a further development of the A-40 antisubmarine aircraft. The Be-200 has a 66 passenger or 8000 kg cargo capacity. Six aircraft were launched into production at the Irkutsk Aviation Production Association. The first prototype flew on September 24, 1998.
Engine: 2 x Progress D-436TP turbo-prop, 73.5kW Wingspan: 31.8 m / 104 ft 4 in Length: 31.2 m / 102 ft 4 in Height: 8.7 m / 28 ft 7 in Take-off weight: 37000-43000 kg / 81571 – 94799 lb Max. speed: 710 km/h / 441 mph Cruise speed: 600 km/h / 373 mph Ceiling: 8000 m / 26250 ft Range: 2100 km / 1305 miles Range w/max.fuel: 3850 km / 2392 miles Payload: 6.5 ton or 64 pax. Crew: 2
A 1986 designed amphibious twin engine aircraft. Licence built in the USA and certified by the FAA. The first prototype flew on 19 July 1997.
Engine: 2 x Teledyne Continental Motors 10-360ES4, 210hp Take-off weight: 2435 kg / 5368 lb Wingspan: 12.7 m / 41 ft 8 in Length: 10.6 m / 34 ft 9 in Cruise: 165 mph. Seats: 6.
The A-40/Be-40 Albatross Mermaid turbofan-powered intermediate-range antisubmarine, search-and-rescue and patrol amphibian, first flown December 1986 and ordered for the Russian Navy in 1992 but not funded. The A-40 amphibian aircraft is intended for antisubmarine warfare in the near coastal zone at any time of the day and year, in VFR and IFR weather conditions. The aircraft is provided with an inflight refueling system. Its onboard equipment provides for automatic solution of flight/navigation problems, search, detection, tracking and destruction of hostile submarines both in surface and submerged positions and on the sea bottom. The equipment comprises a search/sighting system, a flight control and navigation complex, communications facilities, and other equipment. The search/sighting system consists of radar, sonar and magnetometric subsystems.
The engines are started by an auxiliary power unit and the cruise turbofans are equipped with a thrust reverser, thereby reducing the landing roll and the abortive takeoff distance.
The type first showed up in US reconnaissance photographs during 1988 satellite passes over Taganrog but the first “closeups” came with the amphibian’s surprise debut at an air show in August 1989. NATO dubbed the aircraft, christened Albatross by the G M Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific Engineering Complex, “Mermaid”.
A requirement for the two large 26,455 lb static thrust PERM Soloviev D 30KPV engines to be placed away from ingesting water saw an over wing configuration incorporated in the design. The rear part of the pylon ac¬commodates RD 60 booster engines providing an increase in thrust by 6065 lbs st apiece. In the SAR role the A 40 can cover 1240 nm (2000km) from its base and take on board up to 54 survivors. The crew usually totals five plus a rescue team of around four to six. An improved search-and-rescue variant became the Be-42 (sometimes referred to in the West as A-45).
Engines: 2 x PERM Soloviev D-30KPV turbofan, 117.7 kN (26,455 lb) and 2 x Klimov RD-36-35AFV, 24.5 kN Take-off weight: 86000 kg / 189599 lb Wingspan: 41.6 m / 136 ft 6 in Length: 43.8 m / 143 ft 8 in Height: 11.1 m / 36 ft 5 in Wing area: 200.0 sqm / 2152.78 sq ft Max. speed: 760 km/h / 472 mph Cruise speed: 720 km/h / 447 mph Ceiling: 9700 m / 31800 ft Range w/max.fuel: 5500 km / 3418 miles Range w/max.payload: 4100 km / 2548 miles Armament: 6500kg Crew: 8
Beriev’s Be-32 were built for the ‘commuter’ programme in the 1970s, first flown in 1976. The LET 410 was selected, ten were built, and the Be-32 was cancelled.
Engine: 2 x Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprops, 708kW Take-off weight: 5860 kg / 12919 lb Wingspan: 17.0 m / 55 ft 9 in Length: 15.7 m / 51 ft 6 in Height: 5.46 m / 17 ft 11 in Wing area: 32.0 sqm / 344.44 sq ft Cruise speed: 480 km/h / 480 km/h Range: 1300 km / 808 miles Passenger cap: 16
The Beriev Be-30 short-haul transport is the first landplane to be designed and developed by the Beriev design bureau. Seen publicly for the first time at the Soviet Aviation Day display at Domodedovo in 1967, it also appeared at the 1969 Paris Air Show. Designated Be-30, and allocated the NATO codename ‘Cuff, it was reported to have flown for the first time on 3 March 1967. A high-wing monoplane, the Be-30 was of all-metal structure and introduced features such as metal bonding, spot welding, and the use of stiffened skin panels of light alloy honeycomb. The retractable tricycle landing gear incorporated stalky main units, retracting into the rear of the engine nacelles. Power-plant of the prototype consisted of two 552kW Shvetsov ASh-21 radial piston engines, but two Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprops were used to power the very small number of production aircraft. Accommodation was provided for a crew of two and 14 passengers, and features included air-conditioning and blind-flying equipment that incorporated an autopilot and an automatic approach system.
Engines; two Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprops Pax cap: 14
The lessons learned in the design of the R-1 and Be-10 were incorporated in the design of a much improved flying-boat based loosely on the Be-6 and identified originally by NATO as a re-engined version of the older type.
The Be-12 Tchaika (Seagull), designated M-12 in AV-MF service, has the gull-wing layout and twin tail of its predecessor. The greater power and lighter weight of the turboprop engines have permitted a forward extension of the hull, with a new planing bottom. The prominent spray suppressor around the bows of the Be-10 is also a feature of the turboprop aircraft.
The addition of a retractable landing gear makes the Be-12 amphibious. MAD (magnetic anomaly detection) gear extends 15 ft behind the tail. The search and mapping radar projects far ahead of the glazed nose, and much of the hull is filled with equipment and there is a weapon and sonobuoy bay aft of the wing with watertight doors in the bottom aft of the step.
The Be-12 turboprop aircraft, first seen at the 1961 Moscow Aviation Day at the same time as the swept-wing Be-10, has fast become the Soviet Union’s standard large marine aircraft. The weight-lifting capability of the Be-12 was demonstrated in a series of class records for amphibians set up in 1964, 1968 and 1970, suggesting a normal weapons load as high as 5000kg. The Be-12 can load on the water through large side hatches in the rear fuselage, and stores can be dropped through a watertight hatch in the hull aft of the step. Be-12s have set many class records for speed, height and load-carrying. They were based all around the Soviet shores and in Egypt and, possibly, other countries. NATO code name ‘Mail’. It is also believed to have been used for mapping, geophysical survey and utility transport. By Soviet standards the type was not built in large numbers, only 95 being reported in service in the late 1980s.
Be-12 (M-12) Tchaika Engines: 2 x Ivchenko AI-20D single-shaft turboprops, 4,190 ehp / 2940kW Wing span: 97 ft 6 in (29.7 m) Wing area : 1030.007 sqft / 95.69 sq.m Wing load : 63.14 lbs/sq.ft / 308.00 kg/sq.m Length overall: 99 ft (30.2 m) Height on land: 22 ft 1½ in (7 m) Empty weight: approx 48.000 lb (21.772 kg) Max take off weight : 65047.5 lb / 29500.0 kg Max. speed : 329 kts / 610 km/h / 379mph Cruising speed 199 mph (320 km/h) Initial climb rate : 2992.13 ft/min / 15.20 m/s Service ceiling 38.000 ft (11582 m) Range with full equipment: 2160 nm / 2.485 miles (4000 km) Armament: at least 6600 lb (3000 kg) sonobuoys and AS bombs in internal weapon bay; one to three external hard points for stores under each outer wing. Crew: 6-10
All Aero 